System and method for protecting network-facing services

A system for performing security functions in a service-oriented computer system, the system comprising:

• a router node configured to receive at least one service request and to forward at least one packet of the at least one service request to at least one server computer adapted to process the at least one service request;
• a first server node having a first processor configured to
• execute, for the at least one packet, a first protocol layer of a network protocol stack,
• determine whether the at least one packet is compliant at the first protocol layer, and
• provide the at least one packet to a second server node responsive to determining that the at least one packet is compliant at the first protocol layer;
• and the second server node having a second processor configured to
• execute, for the at least one packet, a second protocol layer of the network protocol stack, and
• determine whether the at least one packet is compliant at the second protocol layer.